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Transport Infrastructure

Transport Infrastructure

Airbus predicts Middle East regional aircraft will more than double in 2044

Airbus' regional aircraft fleet in the Middle East is expected to double by 2044 to 3,700 planes, a senior official revealed on Sunday. Airbus's Head of Marketing for Africa and the Middle East, Grainne Van den Berg, told a recent press conference that the European planemaker anticipates Middle East passenger traffic to grow at a rate of 4,4% per year over the next 20 years. Van den Berg said that Airbus expects services in the region will double by 2044 to $29.9 billion. The forecast was made ahead of the Dubai Airshow - the Middle East's largest aviation event, which...

Transport Infrastructure

Republican state AGs express concerns over Union Pacific's deal with Norfolk Southern

Nine Republican attorneys general raised concerns on Friday about Union Pacific's plans to purchase smaller rival Norfolk Southern for $85 billion, creating the first U.S. Coast-to-Coast freight rail operator. In a letter sent to the Surface Transportation Board by Tennessee Attorney-General Jonathan Skrmetti, and Kansas Attorney-General Kris Kobach that was seen by, the officials expressed concern about the deal, which they said would result in "undue market consolidation" and "stifle competition, resulting in higher prices, less reliability and less innovation, at the expense America's producers and consumers." If approved, the tie-up could help reshape U.S. freight railroad industry, streamline operations,...

Transport Infrastructure

US flight cancellations drop as absences of air traffic controllers shrink

U.S. flights cancellations dropped sharply in the past day, as the absence of air traffic controllers decreased just hours before Wednesday's vote by the House of Representatives to end the record-breaking government shutdown. The United States' airlines canceled almost 900 flights Wednesday, the lowest number in six days. This was in accordance with a Federal Aviation Administration directive that they cancel 6% flights at the busiest 40 airports in order to address safety concerns. According to some airlines, the FAA may reduce its planned 8% cut in flights on Thursday from 8% to 6%. The FAA reported that air traffic...

Transport Infrastructure

US Airlines cancel 1,200 flights on Tuesday due to the government shutdown

The government has been imposing mandatory flight reductions in response to safety concerns. This is the fifth day that the airlines have cancelled more than 1,000 flights. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) instructed airlines last week to reduce 4% of flights daily starting Friday, November 7 at 40 major airports due to staffing problems in air traffic control. The reductions in flights increased to 6% on February 2. On Thursday, the flight reductions would be 8% and on Friday, they will be 10%. The FAA and airlines are discussing when and how to reduce and eliminate the flight cuts as...

Transport Infrastructure

Trump's trade battle with China in 2025

U.S. president Donald Trump has targeted China as his top economic rival with a cascade on tariffs that are worth billions of dollar. He is trying to reduce a trade surplus, bring back lost manufacturing and cripple fentanyl traffic. In reverse chronological order, here are the key events of this year in U.S. China trade war: China has announced that it will continue to expand access to and investment opportunities for U.S. firms, especially in the services sector. On November 10, China suspends for a full year the port fees it charges vessels with ties to the United States, as...

Transport Infrastructure

Bloomberg News reports that Verizon wants to raise $10 billion through bond sales to fund the Frontier deal.

Bloomberg News reported Monday that Verizon Communications was looking to raise $10 billion on the corporate bond markets to fund the $20 billion Frontier deal. A person familiar with the situation confirmed this. The wireless carrier filed a five-part sale of bonds earlier that day without revealing the size. The report stated that the initial price discussion for the largest portion of the deal - a bond with a maturity of 40 years - is about 1.6 percentage point above Treasuries. Verizon didn't immediately respond to our request for a comment. Last year, the company bought Frontier for $9.6 billion....

Transport Infrastructure

China suspends port charges on US-linked vessels for one year

China has suspended port fees for vessels linked to the United States, said its transport ministry on Monday. This comes after Washington announced an equivalent pause in punitive measures against China's shipbuilding and shipping sectors. The reciprocated pauses are in line with the agreements made by U.S. president Donald Trump and Chinese president Xi Jinping at a recent summit in South Korea. According to a statement from the Transport Ministry, the suspension began at 13:01 local (0501 GMT). Beijing has welcomed the announcement by the U.S. Office of Trade Representative on November 9 that it will pause all punitive measures...

Transport Infrastructure

As the shutdown continues, airlines cancel 1,500 US flights every Monday

The number of flights canceled by airlines in the United States surpassed 1,500 on Monday. This is the fourth day that cancellations have exceeded 1,000, as flight reductions and staffing shortages continue to cause havoc for aviation. FlightAware is a website that tracks flights. As of 8:30 a.m. ET (1330 GMT), more than 1,550 flights had been canceled and 1,400 delayed Monday. More than 1,550 flights were cancelled and 1,400 flights delayed on Monday, after 2,950 flight cancellations and nearly 10,800 delays Sunday. Chicago's November snowstorm also caused disruptions to air travel. Late Sunday, the Federal Aviation Administration announced that...

Transport Infrastructure

US airlines cancel 1,330 flights due to shutdown

U.S. Airlines canceled 1,330 flights in the United States on Saturday as part of the government-mandated flight cutbacks. The industry is bracing for further cancellations if the shutdown continues. Federal Aviation Administration has instructed airlines to reduce 4% of their daily flights at 40 major airports starting Friday due to safety concerns regarding air traffic control. Air traffic controllers are in short supply because they haven't been paid for several weeks. On Tuesday, the reductions will reach 6% before reaching 10% on November 14. Flights Delayd in at Least 12 Major Cities The FAA reported on Saturday that there were...

Transport Infrastructure

US cuts flights for a second day as the shutdown continues

U.S. Airlines and travelers endured a second day on Saturday of flight cancellations across the nation as the shutdown is expected to cause more cancellations over the next few days. Due to the shutdown, the Federal Aviation Administration has instructed airlines to reduce 4% of flights at 40 major airports on Saturday. The cut will increase to 6% by Tuesday, and to 10% on November 14. These cuts began at 6 am. About 700 flights were affected by the cuts on Friday morning, 1100 GMT, from American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and Southwest Airlines. Due to a lower volume of...

Transport Infrastructure

US FAA will detail its flight reduction plan on major airports in the US later this Friday

On Thursday, the Federal Aviation Administration was working on details of a plan that would cut 10% of flights in 40 U.S. airports with high traffic to address safety concerns about air traffic controllers during a federal government shutdown. FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford informed the CEOs of major airline companies late on Wednesday that cuts will begin at 4% this Friday and increase to 10% next Monday. Plan will exclude international flights, and will only apply to flights that take place between 6 am and 10 pm. FAA also has imposed severe restrictions on general aviation and space launches. Airline...

Oil Pipeline

Sources say that Lukoil is diverting oil from Azerbaijan into Russia due to sanctions

Two industry sources reported on Thursday that Russia's second largest oil producer, Lukoil has begun diverting Caspian Oil flows from Baku, the Azeri capital, to Makhachkala, the Russian port, to combat Western sanctions. According to one source, the Russian flagged tanker Lady Leila is expected to arrive in Makhachkala later on Thursday with a cargo 5,000 metric tonnes of crude oil from Lukoil’s Korchagin Oilfield located in the Caspian Sea. Last month, the United States and United Kingdom imposed sanctions against Russia's second largest oil company. This has complicated its normal operations. Lukoil shipped its oil from Caspian Sea fields...

Passenger Transportation Services

Passenger Transportation Services

Boeing aims to stabilize the industry before increasing production

Boeing's top executive in jet manufacturing said that the company aims to stabilize aircraft production levels at present before moving on to new industrial milestones, while implementing safety and quality improvements. Boeing Commercial Airplanes' CEO Stephanie Pope said it was still too early to predict when Boeing will increase 737 jet production to 47 per month. The regulators had recently cleared Boeing to achieve 42 per month following the lifting of temporary output limits. Pope told a press conference ahead of the Dubai Airshow that "getting it right at (the correct) pace is more important than speeding up." PRODUCTION MILESTONES...

Passenger Transportation Services

Boeing announces imminent partnership with T-7 Trainer Export Bid

Boeing executives announced on Sunday that they are close to announcing an agreement to bid for a sales opportunity in international markets for the T-7 trainer. They highlighted the fast-growing need for light military training aircraft. In July, it was reported that Boeing and Sweden’s Saab had been in discussions with Britain’s BAE Systems about a possible future replacement for the UK’s Hawk trainer. Boeing and Saab jointly developed the T-7 Advanced Trainer for the U.S. Air Force. Meanwhile, Britain plans to replace the Hawk fleet that is out of production, a part of which can be instantly recognised through...

Passenger Transportation Services

White House claims that Alibaba is assisting Chinese military to target US, reports FT

Financial Times reported on Friday that Washington accused the online marketplace Alibaba of providing technology support to Chinese military operations targeting targets in the United States. The memo was cited by the White House. The FT reported that the national security memo contains declassified top-secret intelligence about how the Chinese group provides the People's Liberation Army (PLA) with capabilities the White House believes could threaten U.S. Security. The report didn't specify what capabilities or operations are involved or if the U.S. is trying to respond. Alibaba shares in the U.S. fell 4.2% following the news. Alibaba issued a statement saying...

Transportation

Logistics

Logistics

US Postal Service reports a $9 billion annual loss and seeks reforms

The U.S. The U.S. David Steiner, the new Postmaster General of USPS, said that USPS needs to be more efficient. It still has "a significant systemic annual cost and revenue imbalance." He said: "To correct financial imbalances we must explore revenue opportunities and make public policy changes in order to improve our business models." USPS has lost over $100 billion since 2007, despite major restructuring and legislative reforms. In 2022, the U.S. Congress provided financial relief to the Postal Service of about $50 billion over a ten-year period. USPS wants reforms, including changes in the rules for funding retiree pension...

Logistics

Swiss machine maker feels the heat of Trump's tariffs and the slowdown in auto industry

Norbert Steuer is a logistics worker for Swiss precision machinery manufacturer K.R. Pfiffner has worked at the company for more than three decades. He is now one of the 80 employees out of 105 that will be laid off as it struggles with U.S. Tariffs and a failing auto industry. The company, which produces million-dollar machinery that is used by automakers such as Mercedes-Benz, and suppliers like Robert Bosch, finds itself at the forefront of a difficult European car market, which has been impacted by President Donald Trump's tariffs on trade and a slowdown within China, a key export market....

Logistics

Poste Italiane does not see any major impact of EU plan to charge low-value parcels

Matteo Del Fante, the chief executive officer of Poste Italiane, said that the plan by the European Union to levy a 2-euro fee on small parcels coming from outside the EU will not have a major impact on the company's volume. Del Fante said that such a move could also delay plans by Chinese ecommerce platforms to establish their own logistics network in the region. Why it's important The proposed measure is designed to stop the flow of cheap goods from China and other non-member nations entering the EU. This would affect Chinese ecommerce imports by companies like Shein or...

Logistics

FAA bans MD-11 flights after UPS jet crash

After a deadly crash of a UPS MD-11 freighter in Louisville, Kentucky, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration issued an order on Saturday prohibiting MD-11 aircraft from flying until further inspection. At least 14 people were killed. UPS and FedEx have grounded their combined fleets of more than fifty McDonnell Douglas MD-11 freighters following a Boeing recommendation. The FAA stated that its emergency airworthiness instruction was prompted after the Tuesday crash in which the left motor and pylon separated from the aircraft during takeoff. The cause of detachment will be investigated. The U.S. regulator stated that "this condition could result in...

Logistics

UPS grounds its MD-11 fleet after Louisville crash

UPS announced on Friday that it had grounded its fleet McDonnell Douglas MD-11s. This is the type of aircraft involved in the crash of Tuesday in Louisville, Kentucky which resulted in at least 13 deaths. UPS spokesperson stated in an email that "out of an abundance caution and for the sake of safety, we've made the decision to ground temporarily our MD-11 fleet". The spokesperson said that MD-11s make up about 9% the fleet of the company. The grounding takes effect immediately. NBC News was the first to report on this news. On Tuesday evening, a UPS cargo flight bound...

Logistics

NTSB: Crew of UPS cargo flight that crashed tried to control the aircraft before crash

The National Transportation Safety Board reported on Friday that three UPS pilots were trying to control the cargo plane when a bell went off in the cockpit. This week, a cargo plane crashed in Louisville, Kentucky killing at least thirteen people. Todd Inman, NTSB member, told reporters that UPS flight 2976 began without incident. However, the flight's cockpit voice recorder recorded a bell that repeated 37 seconds after the crew had called for the takeoff thrust. Inman believes that the bell continued to ring until 25 seconds after the recording ended, signaling the crash of the aircraft. Inman stated that...

Logistics

NTSB: Crew of UPS cargo flight that crashed tried to control the aircraft before crash

The National Transportation Safety Board reported on Friday that three UPS pilots were trying to control the cargo plane when a bell went off in the cockpit. This week, a cargo plane crashed in Louisville, Kentucky killing at least thirteen people. Todd Inman, NTSB member, told reporters that UPS flight 2976 began without incident. However, the flight's cockpit voice recorder recorded a bell ringing 37 seconds after the crew had called for the takeoff thrust. Inman believes that the bell continued to ring until 25 seconds after the recording ended, signaling the crash of the aircraft. Inman stated that the...

Logistics

NTSB to probe UPS plane maintenance history

Safety investigators in the United States said Thursday that they are investigating the maintenance history for a UPS cargo aircraft which was in Texas weeks before it crashed in flames on Tuesday in Louisville, Kentucky. At least 13 people were killed. National Transportation Safety Board said that as the MD-11's left wing rolled down the runway at Louisville Airport, a large plume of smoke erupted and one of three engines detach from this wing. Flight tracking data shows that the plane was parked in San Antonio, Texas from September 3 until October 18. Todd Inman, a member of the NTSB,...

Logistics

NTSB to probe UPS plane maintenance history

Safety investigators in the United States said Thursday that they are investigating the maintenance history for a UPS cargo aircraft which was in Texas weeks before it crashed in flames on Tuesday in Louisville, Kentucky. At least 12 people were killed. National Transportation Safety Board said that as the MD-11's left wing rolled down the runway at Louisville Airport, a large plume of smoke erupted and one of three engines detach from this wing. Flight tracking data shows that the plane was parked in San Antonio, Texas from September 3 until October 18. Todd Inman, a member of the NTSB,...

Logistics

UPS Air hub closure will cause delivery delays throughout its global network

Temporary closure of United Parcel Service's sprawling air cargo hub, located in Louisville, Kentucky following a fatal plane crash, will cause delays throughout the global delivery network. The Worldport hub is a hub and spoke model that UPS uses to manage air cargo. It processes millions of packages each day for approximately 360 aircraft, both incoming and departing. On Tuesday night, the company ceased operations at Louisville International Airport after a UPS cargo aircraft crashed, killing nine people including three members of the flight crew. UPS on Wednesday cancelled the Worldport shift from mid-morning until mid-afternoon that deals with Second...

Logistics

UPS Worldport, Louisville: A nerve center for global logistics

United Parcel Service has halted its cargo sorting operations at Louisville International Airport following the wide-body freighter. burst into flames On Tuesday evening, nine people were killed, including three crewmembers, shortly after the takeoff. The airport has reopened for air traffic and is now home to UPS's biggest package-handling operation. It also serves as a hub for UPS's global air-cargo operations. UPS also expects to resume its cargo operations by Wednesday morning. However, the company has not yet issued an official update. A prolonged closure at the facility known as Worldport could have cascading effects on the U.S. logistic network,...

Logistics

Wall Street Journal, November 5,

These are the most popular stories from the Wall Street Journal. These stories have not been verified and we cannot vouch their accuracy. A UPS plane crashed near Louisville, Kentucky. At least four people were killed and 11 injured. The number of fatalities is expected to rise. Sunway Healthcare in Malaysia will begin engaging with investors soon ahead of an IPO planned that could raise as much as $1 billion. Bain Capital and Perpetual, an Australian investment manager, are in exclusive discussions about the sale of their $14 billion wealth management business. Donald Trump, the U.S. president, has renominated Jared...